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5 Retro Cafes in Akabane! A blissful coffee shop time that lets you forget the bustle of the city

Photograph:YamaNe79

5 Retro Cafes in Akabane! A blissful coffee shop time that lets you forget the bustle of the city

Akabane (a district in Tokyo) thrives as the northernmost downtown area of Tokyo and is a highly convenient neighborhood served by multiple train lines. Around the station, shopping streets and restaurants line the area, and one of its defining features is the strong old downtown feel. It is also known as a holy land for senbero (cheap drinks and snacks), which adds to its appeal with many casual gourmet spots you can drop into. This time, we have rounded up popular retro cafes in the Akabane area.

Created: July 21, 2026

This article is based on935Tabelog reviews.

Table of Contents

Old-school kissaten (Japanese coffee shop) Tomorou

Photograph:108s.food

Mukashi Nagarano Kissaten Toyu is a retro cafe on the second floor of a building, just a short walk from Akabane Station, and it is open from 5:30 in the morning until 23:00 late at night. It offers an unpretentious kissaten (Japanese-style cafe) menu with light meals, drinks, desserts, and more.

The interior, lined with old clocks and used books, has a slow and relaxing feel. Seats by the window are said to be especially popular, where you can spend a calm and restful time while looking out over the streets of Akabane.

Photograph:ノアマンクロウ

The wide variety of Breakfast options is popular. The "Cheese Toast" in the photo is a satisfying set that comes with a drink, salad, scrambled eggs, and soup.

They also offer options like the "Grilled Fish set meal" and "Morning Curry," making it a great fit for mornings when you want a solid meal.

Photograph:kazu31974

A recommended item is the "Homemade pudding." It is known for its firm texture and smooth mouthfeel.

The rich flavor of eggs and milk is layered with gentle sweetness, and the bitter caramel accent pairs well with coffee.

kaita

・Kissaten (Japanese-style coffee shop) Napolitan
The pasta is slightly chewy, and the sweet and tangy ketchup coats it well. The classic ingredients like bacon, onion, and green pepper are nicely balanced, giving it a somewhat nostalgic taste. It is a bit oily, but that is part of what gives it its signature style.

Source:kaita's review

Just like its name suggests, this kissaten (Japanese-style coffee shop) charms guests with warm service that feels like visiting a friend's home and a Showa retro atmosphere. One of its main draws is the wide range of carefully prepared cafe menu items. The signature French toast was soaked through with egg mixture all the way to the center, with a surprisingly soft and melt-in-your-mouth texture.

Source:https://www.doom.now.cc/en/tokyo/A1323/A132305/13047970/dtlrvwlst/B524132435/

Mukashi Nagara no Kissaten Tomorrow
Akabane Sta. / Kissa (Japanese coffee shop), Cafe, Restaurants

3.56

Very good

619

  • - JPY 999
  • - JPY 999
  • -
東京都北区赤羽1-1-5大竹ビル　２Ｆ

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Ume no Ki Honten

Photograph:きらきらふたごぼし

Umenoki Honten is a retro cafe on the first floor of a building just outside Akabane Station's East Exit. Founded in 1945, it serves house-roasted coffee.

The interior, marked by its wooden floors and counter, has a classic and calm feel, and natural light pours in through the large windows, making it a relaxing place to spend time.

Photograph:テルスター

The recommendation is the blend coffee. They grind the beans for each order and carefully brew each cup one by one.

It is known for its rich aroma and clean finish. The light acidity is pleasant, and it has a smooth, easy to drink taste.

Photograph:いちごだいふくもち

The "cake set," which you can enjoy with a drink, is also popular. Among them, the "Mont Blanc" is a standard choice.

The generous chestnut cream goes well with the light sponge cake. It has a faint aroma of rum, giving it a grown-up finish.

cinnamon23

・Cocoa Float
I ordered the cocoa float, and it came with a glass filled to the top with vanilla ice cream and drizzled with chocolate syrup, so it was very sweet. But the cocoa drink had a rich cacao aroma and a slight bitterness that kept the sweetness in check, giving it a great balance and making it very tasty.

Source:cinnamon23's review

YamaNe79

・Ogura an (sweet red bean paste) butter toast sandwich
The lightly finished toast is crisp yet moist. The ogura an has a gentle sweetness. Butter blends into it, making it smooth on the palate.

Source:YamaNe79's review

Ume no Ki Honten
Akabane Sta. / Kissa (Japanese coffee shop), Cake, Gelato, Ice cream

3.35

121

  • - JPY 999
  • JPY 1,000 - JPY 1,999
  • Wednesday
東京都北区赤羽1-9-4赤羽駅前ビル 1F

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Jun Kissa Dea

Photograph:まっさー32

Jun Kissaten Dea is a retro cafe located in the Akabane Suzuran-dori Shopping Street, a 4-minute walk from Akabane Station. Its wide menu selection is part of the appeal, and gentle music from a music box is said to fill the cafe.

It has a relaxing space with comfortable sofa seating. They also offer sets by time of day, including Breakfast and lunch.

Photograph:KK636

The “blend coffee” is said to have a slightly richer taste than a typical cup. It is made with a well-balanced blend of Kilimanjaro, Brazil, and Mocha beans.

It has a nice balance of bitterness and acidity, with a faint fruity note as well, and is known as a fragrant cup.

Photograph:ぱんだちゃん.

At lunch, the popular choice is Omurice. You can choose from three flavors: mild, ketchup, or curry.

It is a simple yet satisfying plate of fragrant fried rice with stir-fried ingredients wrapped in a thin egg crepe. Another nice point is that each flavor has its own different taste.

山もり

I had an iced coffee and a chocolate parfait. The chocolate parfait came with plenty of chocolate ice cream topped with lots of cream, and there were no fillers like cornflakes at all, so I could enjoy the rich chocolate ice cream to the very end and felt Manzoku. The cream was not too sweet either, and it went very well with the chocolate ice cream.

Source:山もり's review

第5係

The Breakfast set comes in just two types, toast or hot dog (it seems every set always includes coffee or tea and a boiled egg ^_^). I ordered the toast. The thick cut bread was toasted crisp on the outside and soft inside, with melted butter giving it a lightly sweet and salty taste! Ah, this is exactly what I wanted~.

Source:第5係's review

Jun Kissa Der
Akabane Sta. / Kissa (Japanese coffee shop), Sandwich, Cafe

3.35

138

  • - JPY 999
  • - JPY 999
  • -
東京都北区赤羽2-1-18マリア堂　２Ｆ

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Piccolo

Photograph:抹茶22700

Piccolo is a retro cafe tucked away down a side street off Higashi Hondori, about a 5-minute walk from Akabane Station. Inside, the calm space is accented by lush greenery.

They mainly serve homemade cakes and siphon coffee. Carefully selected cups and saucers line the walls.

Photograph:82c743

The homemade cakes appear on a daily rotation, and one of the most popular is the summer-only melon mousse.

Made with plenty of seasonal melon and served in the hollowed-out fruit with milk mousse, it is said to be excellent, with a smooth texture and fresh sweetness layered together.

Photograph:ぱんだちゃん.

The photo shows the “Smoked Chicken Sandwich.” You can choose either whole wheat germ bread or shokupan (Japanese milk bread), and because they toast it after you order, the fragrant aroma really stands out.

The refined tasting sauce goes very well with the fillings, and reviews say it is very satisfying to eat.

ぱんだちゃん.

・Shortcake
They whipped the cream for the shortcake after I ordered it. The freshly made whipped cream was smooth and melt-in-your-mouth, with sweetness that didn’t linger, and it was really delicious. It was a perfect match for the tartness of the strawberries and the gentle sweetness of the sponge cake. I finished it in no time.

Source:ぱんだちゃん.'s review

82c743

・Melon mousse
The melon mousse served from early summer into summer is excellent. Because they use whatever melons come in at the time, it may be green-fleshed or red-fleshed. Both are delicious. It is a popular menu item, so it can sell out early in the day.

Source:82c743's review

Piccolo
Akabane Sta. / Kissa (Japanese coffee shop), Cake, Sandwich

3.18

33

  • -
  • JPY 1,000 - JPY 1,999
  • Monday, Sunday, Public Holiday
東京都北区赤羽2-18-3

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Kissa Pochi

Photograph:piropedia

Kissa Pochi is a retro cafe marked by its brick exterior, standing in a residential neighborhood about a 7-minute walk from Akabane Station. Inside, wine-red chairs are arranged throughout the space, and manga line the walls.

This is a place where you can enjoy filling Breakfast and lunch sets.

Photograph:nongkhai

The photo shows the Breakfast "hot dog." It comes with a drink, salad, and fruit, making for a Manzoku meal.

It is filling and just right for the morning. Another plus is the selection of both Japanese and Western menu items, including toast and onigiri (rice balls).

Photograph:アクシオ

At lunch, Naporitan (Japanese ketchup pasta) is a classic. This dish features thick, chewy pasta well coated in ketchup sauce.

The flavors of sausage and vegetables come together for a simple but satisfying taste that never gets old.

a_y_cafe

Great lunch, relaxing seating, and kind, soft-spoken staff. Even though it is a long-established restaurant, the interior is kept clean. When I visited again for the first time in a while, the daily special was the same chicken with mustard sauce as on my first visit, so I ordered it again. It was just as delicious as I remembered!

Source:a_y_cafe's review

miyachi44

・Omurice
The Omurice has a soft, fluffy egg rather than a thin omelet layer, and it tastes slightly sweet, likely because it contains cream or fresh cream. Inside is ketchup rice with bacon, maitake (hen-of-the-woods mushrooms), and green peppers. The ketchup is low in acidity and has a mild flavor.

Source:miyachi44's review

Kissa Pochi
Akabane Sta. / Kissa (Japanese coffee shop)

3.13

24

  • -
  • - JPY 999
  • Sunday, Public Holiday
東京都北区赤羽南2-15-7

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How We Selected the Restaurants Featured

The Tabelog Matome Editorial Team has put together this roundup article on "retro cafes in Akabane" based on reviews and rankings. In selecting the restaurants, they do not take into account any factors other than reviews and rankings, such as whether the restaurants use Tabelog's advertising services.

Please note that contents, prices, menus, and other details may have changed since this article was published. Be sure to confirm store details before visiting.